Hamilton Dems to tap Keelan for council seat

HAMILTON — Two weeks after council candidate Peggy Nicol dropped out of the race, township Democrats will pick her replacement at a convention tomorrow night.

Hamilton Democratic chair John Kroschwitz said Nicol was unable to commit enough time to a council campaign. She withdrew her name in mid-June.

Her replacement is expected to be Daniel Keelan, the owner of E&T Services, a Hamilton-based telecommunications and energy firm. He is the brother-in-law of Connie Carella Dalton, the Democratic nominee for mayor.

Keelan began considering a run in the spring as Nicol considered stepping down, filing initial campaign finance documents in May and even switching his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat.

“If I want to enact change, I can be a conservative Democrat on the council,” said Keelan, who plans on focusing on economic development issues and government transparency.

Kroschwitz said the party’s nomination is likely to go to Keelan.

“He’ll be a fine candidate,” he said.

Keelan “made himself available” when it became apparent Nicol might withdraw from the council race, Kroschwitz said.

Nicol did run in the June 7 primary, mainly because she had already met the April filing deadline for municipal candidates, Kroschwitz said.

If nominated, Keelan will join a slate comprised of Dalton and fellow council candidate Tennille McCoy.

They will run against the Republican incumbents, Mayor John Bencivengo and council members Kevin Meara and Kelly Yaede. They are seeking another four years in office.

The convention starts tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. in the common room of the Grace-St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Hamilton.